He recalls that senior dental academics and public health professionals were ‘hard-sold’ fluoridation during a visit to the USA in the mid 1950s. They introduced it in Birmingham and rather half-heartedly on Tyneside and encouraged the introduction of fluoride at huge concentrations into toothpaste and other dental toiletries.

Fluoridation of the water supply has been rejected by many other cities, states and countries. One which comes to mind is Rotherham council’s long-term rejection, reaffirmed in their latest water fluoridation review which may be read in full here.